The Kansas City Royals were expected by many (including Sporting News) to contend for a playoff spot after last season's 86-win campaign.

That could still happen, of course, but right now the Royals find themselves at 14-17, six games back in the AL Central and well down on the list of wild-card contenders. The biggest culprit has been the offense: KC has scored 121 runs; only the Houston Astros have fewer runs among AL teams.

"(Monday) was another example," he said, referring to the team's 6-5 loss to the San Diego Padres. "What did we have, 19 base runners? That's a game we dominated but couldn't get enough runs home. Our ability to get runs home has to improve. Period."

The team has a .241 batting average with runners in scoring position and just .211 with RISP and two outs.

"That's the time when, as a group, you have to concentrate and come up with your best at-bat," Moore said. "I get that we want to be aggressive and make things happen. But you also have to be selective and wait for your pitch to do some damage. That's not happening right now."

One thing Moore says will change immediately: The team's propensity for swinging at 3-0 pitches.

"The results of that are unacceptable," Moore said. "That (situation) has been addressed (with manager Ned Yost and hitting coach Pedro Grifol)."